1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cabinet structures and in particular to collar elements for use in insulated cabinet structures.
2. Description of the Background Art
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,329,755, Martin J. Goulooze shows a corner strip for joining the abutting edges of adjacently attached breaker strips. The corner strips include side portions embracing opposite sides of the end of the breaker strip for locking the corner strip thereto. The corner strip is contoured in conformity to the breaker strip and is attached by sliding it downwardly from an outer corner of the abutting breaker strips toward its inner corner with edge portions thereof engaging behind an edge of the breaker strip. A top edge portion of the corner strip acts as a stop engaging over and under the outer side edge of the breaker strip.
Two additional forms of corner strips are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,358,221 of Earl D. Drake. As shown therein, one corner strip includes a top, or cover section, a turned extending section forming a diagonal end, and a back section. A tongue is punched adjacent one end in the cover section, and another tongue is punched in the back section. One edge of the back section is curled. This corner strip is attached by sliding the top section horizontally with the top breaker strip so as to overlap the adjacent edges of the breaker strips. The end of the cover section enters a pocket, with the tongue thereof entering a slot formed in the breaker strip. The slot is elongated sufficiently for the tongue to enter before entering the pocket, after which it is held in locking engagement by the pressure of the breaker strip toward the front wall. The curled edge hooks over an edge of the breaker strip and the tongue, in the back section, locks behind an edge of the breaker strip. Engagement of the curled portion over the edge of the breaker strip, together with the tongue in the cover section engaging behind the edge of the breaker strip, forms an interlocking relationship between the adjacent breaker strips and between the breaker strips and corner strip. Removal of the corner strip is prevented by the back section tongue abutting the edge of the breaker strip.
In the second form, the corner strip is formed with one end bent to form a U, with a back section in spaced parallel relationship to the top section and joined thereto by a connecting section. The opposite end is formed with vertical arms arranged in a V configuration and joined with the top section. The arms are adapted to lie behind the adjacent ends of the breaker strips and serve to center the top portion of the corner strip in overlapping relationship with the adjacent ends of the breaker strips. The end of the corner strip with the V configured arms lies within a pocket of the breaker strip. A section on the opposite end of the corner strips serves as a diagonal corner for the adjacent joining edges of the breaker strip, with the back section thereof locking between the front wall and the turned edge of each breaker strip by means of tongues held in abutment against an edge of the respective breaker strips so as to prevent withdrawal of the corner strip.
Still another form of corner member is illustrated by Evans T. Morton et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,581,692. As shown therein, the corner strip comprises a metallic bar secured diagonally across the corner of the cabinet structure and having offset end portions attached to flanges of the outer walls of the food compartment. The middle portion of the bar is threaded to receive a stud with a block clamped between the bar and the bottom of a cup-shaped body.
J. R. Dickenson et al disclose another form of corner element in U.S. Pat. No. 2,940,632. The corner piece has a front plate portion of right angular sections overlying the adjacent vertical and horizontal attaching strips and a sidewall plate portion formed as an integral part thereof extending at right angles to the front plate portion, and having right angular sections overlying the adjacent vertical and horizontal sides of the attaching strips. The front and right angular side plates have shoulders at opposite ends adapted to align with the ends of the straight sections of the breaker strip, and thin sections projecting laterally beyond the shoulders and overlying the ends of the straight sections. The thin sections are of the same contour in cross section as the end portions of the breaker strip and are gradually tapered to provide a feather edge engaging the straight sections. The right angular sections of the front plate have pins in locking engagement with shoulders on the attaching strips and a flange engaging the opposite sides of the attaching strip to yieldingly hold the pins in locking engagement. The side plate sections have a locking shoulder for locking engagement with the shoulder on the attaching strip and a spring clip projecting from the rear of the wall for yieldingly holding the shoulders in latching engagement.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,328, Frederick L. Hawes et al disclose a breaker strip assembly having corners reinforced by tabs. The tabs unite and reinforce the mitered corners and prevent separation and tearing thereof as a result of expansion and contraction forces due to temperature differences at which the plastic in the frame is formed and at which the frame is used.